THE EVOLUTION OF THE

BARCODEHow a simple series of lines and numbers

came to revolutionize retail.

BY: SALSIFY

1932:

1949:

THE IDEA FOR THE AUTOMATED CHECKOUT SYSTEM IS BORN

Wallace Flint and a group of colleagues introduce the concept in a Harvard thesis paper. While nothing happens as a direct result of this paper, the idea of an automated checkout system has now been planted in the marketplace.

NORMAN JOSEPH WOODLAND GOES TO THE BEACH

There, as the famous story goes, the Drexel University graduate student draws some lines in the sand and realizes that it’s possible to visually represent Morse code - and thus transmit messages - through lines of various thicknesses.

1952:

WOODLAND & SILVER RECEIVE US PATENT 2,612,994

Woodland and his partner Bernard Silver patent their barcode design - a bullseye diagram of concentric lines of various thicknesses. They sell the patent for $15,000.

The barcode hits a bit of a standstill. Only the rail and automotive industries are actively implementing the barcode into their process

during this time.

1970:

THE UGPIC IS ESTABLISHED

Increasing costs in the grocery industry force executives to reconsider automated checkout. The Universal Grocery Products Identification Code (UGPIC) is established to standardize product data exchange across companies.

1973:

THE UPC IS CHOSEN AS THE STANDARD BARCODE DESIGN

The UPC barcode - created by IBM’S George Laurer - is chosen as the standard design for coding identifying product data. (Alan Haberman, widely regarded as the man who popularized the modern barcode, headed the committee tasked with this decision.)

UPC (Universal Product Code)

The barcode George Laurer designed in the 1970’s - particularly the 12-digit version referred to as the UPC-A or GTIN-12 - is still a staple in today’s marketplace. But the 12-digit design didn’t leave room for a unique country identifier when the barcode expanded beyond just the United States and Canada.

1974:

THE UCC IS ESTABLISHED

The Uniform Code Council is established in the US to oversee the maintenance of these data exchange standards. The council will later become GS1.

JUNE 26, 1974:

THE FIRST UPC SCAN IS MADE

A pack of Wrigley’s gum is scanned at a grocery store in Troy, Ohio. The pack is displayed in the Smithsonian today. One UPC scan down, trillions more to follow.

1977:

THE EAN ASSOCIATION IS ESTABLISHED

The EAN Association is established as the European chapter of the UCC as a 13th digit added to the UPC code allows for the barcode’s implementation overseas.

EAN (European Article Number)

The EAN - or GTIN-13 - is almost identical to the UPC barcode, but contains a 13th digit to reflect the country identifier. The GTIN-13 model is present in other countries outside of Europe, like Japan (which uses the JAN) as well.

1983:

THE ITF CODE IS INTRODUCED

While the UPC and EAN are used to identify products at point-of-sale, it isn’t until the introduction of the ITF code that there’s a standard way to label the outer packaging of consumer goods.

ITF (Interleaved Two of Five)

The ITF code is used for packaging and transport materials not sold to the customer. Also referred to as the GTIN-14, the ITF includes a designation for the complexity of the packaging required and a calculated check digit to ensure accuracy.

1994:

THE QR CODE IS INTRODUCED

Denso Wave Incorporated, a Japanese company, develops the QR code, which is initially used for quickly scanning automotive manufacturing parts.

QR Code

Its horizontal and vertical coding capacity allows the QR code to do more than just a product, but also trigger an action - like downloading a file or opening up a webpage, etc. The QR code spiked in popularity with the introduction of the smartphone.

1999:

Unlike a UPC code, which provides basic identifying data about a product, the GS1 DataBar has the capacity to encode rich information for consumers and retailers alike at the point-of-sale. In the fresh food industry, this includes expiration dates and product replenishment information.

THE DATABAR IS APPROVED

The DataBar is created to address the need for richer product data, especially in the grocery and healthcare industries. In 1999, specifications for the DataBar are approved.

The DataBar

For the last 40 years, the iconic barcode has quietly evolved with the retail landscape, continuously facilitating product data exchange across the ever-changing marketplace. By understanding how this simple series of stripes and numbers has adapted to address past data exchange challenges, it becomes easier to predict what retail trends the barcode might be able to support in the future - and how your company can stay at the forefront of these trends. For much more information about the evolution of the barcode and how to implement the right one for your company, visit gs1.org.

BY: SALSIFY

Why You Should Care: